Craig Robinson to coach Pac-12 all star team during 2014 China tour

The Pac-12 announced Saturday it will also send an all-star basketball team to China for a tour this August. The team, which will be coached by Oregon State's Craig Robinson, will play two to three exhibition games in at least two Chinese cities.

Robinson will name a roster of 12-13 Pac-12 student-athletes this spring. As part of the tour, the student-athletes will have the opportunity to experience Chinese culture, visit historic landmarks and engage with their Chinese counterparts in official ceremonies and off-the-court activities.

The game and tour were created through the Pac-12's Globalization Initiative. Since it was formed in 2011, the conference has sent two men's teams and a women's basketball team, a women's all-star volleyball team, and a delegation of men's basketball coaches to China for competitive exhibitions and clinics.

“The Pac-12 and our universities are proud to be pioneers in China,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “This event is a great step forward for our initiative designed to use sport and cultural exchange to support the international strategies that many of our universities have embarked on to extend their reach into China and promote good will between our two countries.”

The Pac-12 also announced Washington and Texas will become the first teams in any major U.S. sport to play a regular-season game in China when they meet in 2015.

The non-conference game will be played on Nov. 14, 2015, and will be televised in the U.S. by ESPN.